In general, an IC card used as a portable electronic apparatus includes a card-shaped main body formed of a plastic material and the like, and an IC module embedded in the main body. The IC module includes an IC chip. The IC chip includes a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or flash ROM, a CPU used to execute various calculations, a RAM memory used in processing of the CPU, and the like.
An IC card exchange data via non-contact communications. An IC card which makes such non-contact communications includes an IC chip and antenna. The IC card receives a magnetic field output from a reader/writer of an IC card processing apparatus, which processes the IC card, via the antenna in the card, and operates using an electromotive force by electromagnetic induction. When the IC card receives a command from the processing apparatus via non-contact communications, it executes an application according to the received command. Thus, the IC card can implement various functions.
Conventionally, the IC card processing apparatus functions in an active mode in which it transmits a command to the IC card. Also, the IC card functions in a passive mode in which it executes processing according to the received command. However, in recent years, an IC card which functions in the active mode is demanded.